Control-switch for cinematographic targets



w. P. ROBERTSON. CONTROL SWITCH FOR CINEMATOGRAPHIC TARGETS- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, I919.

" ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. ROBERTSON, OF NEW roan, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 LYDIA B. KOCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONTROL-SWITCH FOR CINEMATOGRAPHIC TARGETS.

Application filed June 7, 1919.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. R'onnn'r- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certai'n new and useful Improvements in Control-Switches for Cinematographic Targets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form 21 art thereof.

y invention relates to control switches for cinematographic targets and more particularly to those details of construction by which the various switches controlling the different circuits in the tar et structure, may be associated in compact orm and will indicate the working conditions of the circuits in and about said target.

Cinematographic targets include there-in different independently controlled circuits by means of which the mechanisms for performing different functionings of the apparatus are operated. Under some working conditions all of these mechanisms are functioning, while under other conditions the target may be operated while some of these mechanisms are inactive. For example, the motor for rewinding the paper or other web forming the screen, is controlled entirely independently of the light circuit for illuminating the openings through the screen, and the circuit actuating the timer for controlling the dwell or stationary interval of the film, which mechanisms are also independent of each other. Such targets also usually contain a manually operative cut-out in the circuit to the projector motor, so that the duration of the still image upon the screen may be prolonged at the will of the operator. In a switch control made in accordance with my invention, all of the switch mechanisms are closely associated in a single switch box and are so constructed that the switch levers will indicate to the operator the exact working conditions about the apparatus, the switch proper being completely concealed and protected by the housing.

The various switch mechanisms are also so mounted as to he held against displacement in the housing while being capable of being separately and quickly removed therefrom to facilitate repairs or permit the sub- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug". 31, 1920.

Serial No. 302,530.

stitution of a new switch fora defective one. 7,

My invention does not relate to the switch mechanism proper, but merely to the manner of supporting such a mechanism and the actuating lever therefor in relation to the housing and to other such mechanisms.

The invention consists primarily in a switch control. for cinematographic targets embodying therein a housing containing a plurality of independent switch mechanisms embodying therein a casing and a slidable switch actuating member mounted therein and projecting through opposite sides thereof, a forked retaining member straddling each of said casings and detachahly connected with said housing, and a forked actuating lever pivotally mounted in said forked member with the arms thereof arranged on opposite sides of each of said casings in the operative relation to said switch actuating member, whereby each of said casings is firmly held in relation to. said housing and any of said casings may be removed from said housing independently of the others; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a switch control mechanism made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of said mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the housing and the switch mechanisms therein contained removed from its support, with the actuating handles removed, said View being upon an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 3 the plate below the actuating handle being omitted; and

Fig. 5 is a detailed View of the blank from which the retaining plates are formed.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, a indicates the supporting structure for a formed up metal housing 7) containing the switch mechanisms, said housing having end and side flanges 71 by means of which it may be secured to said support, and suitably arranged outlet openings 72 The housing is open at the top, this open top being closed by means of an escutcheon plate 0 also detachably secured to the support a. The plate 0 has a plurality of slots 0 therein and carries various plates 0 adjacent said slots respectively, indicating dii'lerent circuits in target apparatus.

The top edge oi the housing 1; is provided with a plurality of inturned lugs "o by means of which the various switch mechanisms are assembled in the housing in a manner which will be hereinafter described.

The dimensions of the housing are such as to permit the aseml'iling therein or a plurality of independe t switch mechanisms. Since the construction and arrangement of each oi said mechanisms and the manner of mounting it in said housing is identical to every other, a detailed es ription of but one of these mechanisms will be entered into.

The switch mechanisms employed are or the ordinary push-through type, the contacts being arranged within a casing (Z having slidably mounted therein and projecting through the opposite walls thereo'i, an acti ating member d'. This type of switch is o t and well known in the arts, and no claim of invention as to the specific mechanisms thereof, is made.

The ends of the casing (Z adjacent the outlets, are preferably reduced and squared for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Each casing 03 is secured in position in the housing 3) by means of two forked plat s 6 and eachformed from a sheet metal blank like that shown in Fig'. 5 of the drawings. The opening in the fork or said plate is rectangular so as to have a sliding it with the squared end of its casing (Z, and the top thereof is so bent as to provide an overhang G' provided with openings by of which the plate may be secured to the housing Z) by being screwed to the lugs 32 at the top or said housing. Directly opposite the opening of the forkoi the plate 6 or 7" is a bearing lug e or f extending atsubstantially right angles to the top flange 6 or f, and connected therewith by a reduced err tension 6 or by means of? which lug the actuating lever g is pivotally mounted in the proper relation to the acuating member d or the switch, the extensions c-' ,a ,{lordino' the proper clearance for th movement or said lever. i

The actuating lever g is a forked member, the arms 9 and g of which extend between the retaining plates ef and straddle the leasing (Z, the ends of said arms being provided with projecting studs 9 and g adapted to operatively engage the actuating member CZ upon opposite sides of said casing. Said lever g is provided with a screw stud g by means of which the operating handle 9 may be applied thereto. The lever g projects through the slot 0 in the escutch-= eon plate 0, the ooenings in said plate 0 being suliiciently large to permit the removal of the plate for the purpose of at iording access to the switch housing I).

The construction heretofore described permits each of the switch units to be mounted within the housing Z) entirely independently 01 the others, and consequently the removal of any unit without disturbing any of he remaining units. In assembling the switch structure, the housing Z) is permanently connected with the support a by means or the fiange o, with the open top thereof exposel through an opening in said support. The various wires may then be inserted through the outlet openings and conn cted to the switch mechanisms within the casings (Z in the usual manner.

The casing d is then inserted in the boneing Z) and the forked plates 0- positioned with the forks straddling the squared ends of the casing d. Before thus positioning.

the retaining plates, the lever g is assembled 1n relation thereto by means of the pivot screw it so that in pos1t1on1ng these plates in relation to the casing (Z, the same operation will bring the forked arms gg upon opposite sides of the casing (Z with the studs q -g in the proper relation to the act-u atin member .65. When the )arts are in i3 this relation the )lates e and are secured to the lugs I) carried by thehousing 6, thus not only accurately positioning the plates with relation to the outlet openings 6 but holding the casing (Z firmly against any displacement. lhe various switch units in the housing Z) are assembled and secured in like manner.

when all of the units have been thus assembled in the housing Z), the escutcheon plate 0 is mounted upon the support a, thus closing the top of said housing, excepting for the openings 0 therein necessary to permit the desired movement of the various levers g and the mounting or dismounting of said plate 0.

In the event that any switch mechanism jitter repairs are effected, the switch mechanism may be reassembled in the structure in the manner above referred to, or a new switch mechanism may be substituted for a detective one with equal rapidity.

lVhile the mechanism is in use, the position of the various lever handles g will indicate the working-" condition of the circuit controlledby th Switch actuated thereby, the normal tendency of these handles to v drop downwardly being counteracted by the spring of the switch. It will be observed that the actuating lever g is a free swinging lever having no springs acting thereon except that of the switch mechanism proper, the engagement of the studs g -g with the opposite ends of the switch actuating member d maintaining the switch l'everin a position determined by that of said actuating member.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. A switch control for cinemetographic targets embodying therein a housing containing a plurality of independent switch mechanisms each embodying therein a casing and a slidable switch actuating member mounted therein and projecting through opposite sides thereof, forked retaining members straddling said casings respectively and detachably connected with said housing, and forked actuating levers pivotally mounted between said forked memhers respectively with the arms thereof arranged on opposite sides of each of said casings in the operative relation to the switch actuating member carried thereby, whereby each of said casings is firmly held in rela tion to said housing and any of said casings may be removed from said housing inde pendently of the others.

2. A switch control for cinematographic targets embodying therein a housing containing a plurality of independent switch mechanisms each embodying therein a casing and a slidable switch actuating member mounted therein and projecting through opposite sides thereof, a plurality of oppositely disposed forked plates straddling opposite sides of each of said casings, each of said plates having an overhang by means of which it may be secured to said housing, and a bearing lug offset with relation to said plate by a reduced extension affordin clearance between said overhang, and forkec actuating levers pivotally mounted between said bearing lugs adjacent each casing with the arms thereof arranged on opposite sides of said casing in the operative relation to the switch actuating member carried thereby, whereby each of said casings is firmly held in relation to said housing and any of said casings may be removed from said housing independently of the others.

3, A switch control for cinematographic targets embodying therein a housing having outwardly directed and and side flanges, a plurality of inturned lugs and a plurality of outlet openings, said housing containing a plurality of independent switch mechanisms each embodying therein a casing and a slidable switch actuating member mounted therein and projecting through opposite sides thereof, a plurality of oppositely disposed forked; plates straddling opposite sides of each of said casings, each of said plates having an overhang by means of which it may be secured to said housing, and a bearing lug ofiset with relation to said plate by a reduced extension affording clearance between said overhang, and forked actuating levers pivotally mounted between said bearing lugs adjacent each casing with the arms thereof arranged on opposite sides of said casing in the operative relation to the switch actuating member carried there by, whereby each of said casings is firmly held in relation to said housing and any of said casings may be removed from said housing independently of the others.

4. A switch control for cinematographic targets embodying therein a housing open at the top and having outwardly directed end and side flanges, a plurality of inturned lugs, and a plurality of outlet openings, said housing containing a plurality of independent switch mechanisms each embodying therein a casing and a slidable switch actuating member mounted therein and projecting through opposite sides thereof, a plurality of oppositely disposed forked plates straddling opposite sides of each of said casings, each of said plates having an overhang by means of which it may be secured to said housing, and a bearing lug offset with relation to said plate by a reduced extension affording clearance between said overhang, forked actuating levers pivotally mounted between said bearing lugs adjacent each casing with the arms thereof arranged on opposite sides of said casing in the operative relation to the switch actuating member carried thereby, whereby each of said casings is firmly held in relation to said housing and any of said casings may be removed from said housing independently of the others, and a removable escutcheon plate closing the open top of said housing.

5. A switch control for cinematographic targets embodying therein a housing containing a plurality of independent switch mechanisms each embodying therein a casing and a slidable switch actuating member mounted therein and projecting through op posite sides thereof, a plurality of oppositely disposed forked plates straddling opposite sides of each of said casings, each of said plates having an overhang by means of which it may be secured to said housing, and a bearing lug offset with relation to witnesses.

may be removed from said housing independently of the others.

In witness whereof I have hereunto afiiXed my signature this 24th day of May, 15 1919, in the presence of two subscribing WILLIAM P. RGBERTSON.

Witnesses:

DAN. J. OSULLIVAN, JOSEPH MONTFORNER. 

